Pollok 7-3 Shotts Bon Accord (25/05/2011)
Wednesday, June 1, 2011 at 18:51 Pollok will have their name etched upon the D&D Programmes Central League Cup as the winners for Season 2010/11 after an extraordinary 7-3 victory in the final against Shotts Bon Accord at Newlandsfield Park.
Willie Irvine’s side crafted the first opportunity in the second minute when Barry Tulloch flicked a header into the path of Iain Diack, but the striker shot wide from twenty yards out. ‘Lok fans didn’t have to wait long for the breakthrough however as their side took the lead in the fourth minute. Again Tulloch was the instigator, making an interception before driving towards goal. He played in RODDY HUNTER, who calmly clipped a shot off the inside of the post and into the net. The same player then flicked a shot wide after a pass from Diack before Shotts’ first effort of the game when Tom Hanlon sent a free-kick over the crossbar. The Lanarkshire side drew level after twenty minutes when a corner reached Darren Ferguson, who was afforded time to set-up TONY FLEMING to steer the ball past Scott Morrison. The ‘Lok ‘keeper stopped another Hanlon free-kick, then saw his side regain the lead in the 25th minute. Mark Crilly’s corner was met by SHAUN DILLON, who headed past a stranded Craig Brown. Two minutes later it was 3-1 when Stevie Aitchison’s clearance reached RODDY HUNTER, who jinked through the Shotts defence before firing low into the corner of the net. Pollok’s fourth goal arrived after 31 minutes when Hunter and Diack combined to tee-up KEVIN BRADLEY, who prodded home from eight yards out. Mark Sideserf then had a shot deflected wide to conclude the first half.
The attacking football continued after the resumption, with a terrific ball from Hunter leaving Bradley one-on-one with Brown, but he mishit his attempted dink, allowing the ‘keeper to make a save. Brown was powerless to stop Pollok’s fifth in the 50th minute when Tulloch’s corner found an unmarked SHAUN DILLON, who powered home a header. Bradley then tried another chip from just outside the penalty area, but although he beat Brown, Ferguson recovered to head the ball off the line. Twenty minutes into the second half Shotts pulled a goal back when MARK SIDESERF unleashed a stunning shot into the roof of the net from 25 yards out. Substitute Mark Duffy then failed to redirect a fierce Paul Finnigan strike onto the target before his team made it 5-3 after 78 minutes. An inswinging corner caught the unfortunate GERRY JOYCE on the thigh and bounced into the net for an own goal. ‘Lok nerves were settled again with ten minutes left to play when Morrison’s long kick-out was nodded back by Hunter to IAIN DIACK, who crashed an emphatic strike beyond Brown from 18 yards out. In injury time a fabulous run and shot by Paul McLaughlin was matched by an acrobatic save by Morrison. The final goal arrived three minutes into added time when Jamie Doyle’s ball over the top was controlled by the head of KEVIN BRADLEY before the same player lobbed home to make the score 7-3 to the Glasgow side.
Pollok will be looking to add to their trophy tally in their next fixture when they meet Arthurlie at Newlandsfield Park in the final of the New Coin Automatics West of Scotland Cup.
POLLOK: Morrison, Dobbins, Dillon, Aitchison, Joyce (Gair 89), Crilly, Tulloch (Hardie 75), Doyle, Diack, Hunter (MacKenzie 89), Bradley. Not used: McClune, Connolly, Milloy, Cowie
SHOTTS: Brown, Finnigan, Burns (Callaghan 64), Fleming, Ferguson, Barker (Duffy 64), Hanlon, Jack (Kerr 55), McLaughlin, McStay, Sideserf. Not used: Grant, Whelan
BOOKED
POLLOK: Joyce (23), Dillon (37), Hunter (42)
SHOTTS: Finnigan (42), Fleming (54), Hanlon (56), Kerr (84), Duffy (89)
GOALS
POLLOK: Hunter (4, 27), Dillon (25, 50), Bradley (31, 90+3), Diack (80)
SHOTTS: Fleming (20), Sideserf (65), Joyce (77 o.g.)